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A suspected chemical attack reportedly killed at least 60 and left children foaming at the mouth in the town of Douma (Image: Anadolu)

“They agreed that reports of a chemical weapons attack in Syria were utterly reprehensible and if confirmed, represented further evidence of the Assad regime’s appalling cruelty against its own people and total disregard for its legal obligations not to use these weapons.

“They agreed that the international community needed to respond to uphold the worldwide prohibition on the use of chemical weapons.

“They agreed they would continue working closely together and with international partners to ensure that those responsible were held to account.”

But a White House statement on the same phone call was more measured.

The statement said: "President Donald J. Trump spoke today with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom.

Mrs May - who has not confirmed if she would recall Parliament to ask MPs' permission for military action - was due to chair a meeting of the National Security Council today.

She sidestepped questions about whether Britain would be involved in military action during a visit to Cambridge.

She said: "This attack that took place in Douma is a barbaric attack.

"Obviously we are working urgently with our allies and partners to assess what has happened on the ground.

"If this is the responsibility of Assad's regime in Syria then it's yet another example of the brutality and brazen disregard for their people that they show.

"I spoke this morning to President (Emmanuel) Macron, I will be speaking later today with President (Donald) Trump and the National Security Council meets regularly, and I'll be chairing a meeting of the National Security Council later today, and we'll be working with our allies as I say, crucially, to make an assessment of what has happened on the ground."

Tanks in the Ghouta region of Syria on April 8 (Image: AFP)

Meanwhile Trump did not give a time frame for any retaliatory action, but said the US could not stand by as such atrocities take place because "we are able to stop it".

The president's comments came after a furious clash at the UN Security Council last night, where Moscow's ambassador warned US attacks on Syria "could lead to grave repercussions".

Vassily Nebenzia brandished a photo of Boris Johnson as he claimed Russia was being "unpardonably threatened” by the West.

He added: "The fake news on Saturday from Douma is geared towards drawing the attention of society away from the Skripal case which was muddled up by London."

But US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley declared Russia’s hands were “covered in the blood of Syrian children”.

She told the Security Council: "The monster who was responsible for these attacks has no conscience.

"The Russian regime, whose hands are all covered in the blood of Syrian children, cannot be ashamed by pictures of its victims. We’ve tried that before.

"We must not overlook Russia and Iran’s roles in enabling the Assad regime’s murderous destruction.”